Eaglets
by EagleFox
Summary: A boy and an eagle. A quick look into the preAssassin life of Ezio Auditore.


A/N: This story (actually it's more of a little drabble I suppose) came about as a result of trying to get as close as possible to the eagles on the viewpoints in AC2 simply because they're so awesome. Also boredom.

As the last story I wrote was published in 2005… well let's just say do not expect too much outta me.

Anyhow you're here to read this story and not my life story so enjoy.

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><p>It was at the grand age of 8 did Ezio decide that he no longer wanted to be a boy and instead wanted to grow up to become an eagle. It was the same mindset that convinced him to jump out his bedroom window with arms stretched wide. Needless to say two broken legs and a long stern lecture from his father rid him of any future attempts.<p>

The dream however never completely died.

At the age of 10 Ezio approached his father bearing a request. He wanted a pet eagle. His father glanced up from his paperwork and met his eyes. He smiled warmly and said no. Then he went straight back to his paperwork.

Thus Ezio heeded his father's answer and did not pursue the idea. That is until his father went to bed. That night Maria Auditore tucked him in and kissed him good night and he snuggled into his covers feigning sleep. His mother smiled and then whispered to his ear that she knew he was faking and don't he dare attempt to sneak out. Caught. Ezio pouted but gave in as his breathing evened out and soon fell fast asleep. Maria shook her head and closed the door behind her.

Cracking one eye open, he checked to make sure she was gone. Ezio kicked off the covers and slowly tiptoed out of bed. Then quietly he sneaked over to where Federico laid. Any attempt at actually waking his brother were rather futile as it seemed while Ezio had been feigning sleep, Federico really did fall asleep. Whispering his name didn't work and shaking him only succeeded in having him mutter something about pigeons and roll over onto his side.

Annoyed Ezio grit his teeth and refrained himself from stomping his foot… barely. Fine he could do this himself. He was 10 afterall. He could take care of himself. With that in mind, he hopped (slowly) out onto the ledge of his window and climbed (even slower) to the ground below.

A pair of eagles had made their nest nearby. However as with most eagles, the nest was placed in a high and difficult to reach area. A sheer wall of seemingly unscalable reach loomed in front of him.

Climbing down one was one thing. Climbing up was another. He had seen his brother scale this type of wall. He gulped. His hand trembled in anticipation or maybe it was fear. Clenching his fist he gazed upward at the ledge. Federico wouldn't just give up like that. Determined he took his first step and found a sturdy foothold.

The next day found Ezio with a broken arm. Giovanni considered renaming his child to something less… avian. Maria was absolutely appalled. Claudia didn't care. Petruccio was too young to understand. Federico offered to start teaching his brother the art of parkour.

Ezio picked at his cast. It itched.

It would be another year and half before he attempted again despite everything his father and mother said. Boys will be boys indeed. The same pair of eagles had continued using that nest and thus Ezio found them easily again. He smiled and waited for the adult to begin flying from the nest before beginning his ascent. Federico shook his head but did point Ezio to a good foothold. Guiding his brother to the next available footstep, he failed to notice the presence of the other returning adult.

Maria would peer into the boy's room to find her eldest attempting to bandage his younger brother's hand while also picking hay from his hair. She would also find Ezio attempting to hush the little grey puffball who was wrapped up in one of her fine towels. She would then go to Giovanni and tell him explicitly that they are his sons and not hers. And then she would tell him that she loved him and dinner would be ready in about 30 minutes.

Ezio would attempt to sneak scraps from the dinner table that night until his father told him that cooked and seasoned meat was no good for a little bird. He froze in his tracks as he had been unaware that he had been caught. Giovanni laughed and told him he could keep the bird as the cook could provide raw meat and that he was also grounded to his room for a week.

He would name the eaglet Altair, a name he had heard in passing from his father. Altair would later turn out to be in fact female but by then the name would had stuck.

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><p>And that's all I can push myself to write for the moment.<p> 


End file.
